Telephone answering system



Nov. 19, 1940. ROWE 2,221,883

TELEPHONE ANSWERING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 30, 1937 Gunnmvr SUPPLY PatentedNov. 19, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,221,883 TELEPHONEANSWERING SYSTEM Paul Henry Rowe, Los Angeles, Calif. Application Augustso, 1937, Serial No. 161,616 24 Claims. (01. na-s) This inventionrelates to automatic devices for answering telephone calls, and isparticularly useful in connection with telephones that are unattendedpart of the time.

A broad object of the invention is to generally increase the efficiencyand field of usefulness of automatic telephone answering andmessagerecording systems.

This is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No.661,741, filed March 20, 1933 on Telephonographs, issued Sept. '7, 1937,

as Patent No. 2,092,024. 7

The single figure of the drawing isa schematic diagram of a completetelephone answering and message-recording system in accordance with myrelays, amplifiers and other circuit elements for,

automatically associating the record devices with the telephone line inoperative relation, and additional apparatus whereby the absentsubscriber may call his own telephone and have a message that has beenleft for him in his absence relayed to him over the same telephone line.

Referring to the drawing, the speech delivering device is shown ascomprising an endless telegraphone wire I extending about a pair ofdrums 35 2 and 3, respectively, and adapted to be moved from one drum tothe other by a small auxiliary drum 4 driven by a motor .i,.thetelegraphone wire I being wound about the auxiliary drum 4 or beingotherwise in frictional engagement with it. The shaft of the motor 5also has a worm 6 thereon adapted to rotate a wormwheel I connected to acam 8 which controls a pair of contacts 9. Positioned adjacent the wirei at one of its points of passage between the drums 2 and 45 3 are threecontrol magnets l0, ii and I2, re-

spectively, these magnets having .the ends of their cores positionedadjacent the'moving wire I. The motor 5 is adapted to shift the wire in50 such a direction as to move it from right to left successively pastthe magnets l2, H and ill. The

magnet is a reproducing magnet adapted to have sound currents induced inits winding in response to movement therep'ast'of a portion of 55 thewire I having a magnetic recording thereon.

practice. The telephone line proper is not shown The magnet H is awiping or erasing magnet adapted to be energized by a. high frequencycurrent for erasing a message recorded on the wire, and therebypreparing it for the recording of a new message. The magnet W is arecording 5 magnet adapted to record a message magnetically on the wireI moving therepast when the magnet is energized with voice current.

The apparatus for recording a message received over the telephone linefrom a calling 10 party comprises a record medium, shown in the drawingas a telegraphone wire I5, of substantial length which is initiallywound'upon a drum l6 and adapted to be unwound therefrom onto a seconddrum H. The drums i6 and II are 15 adapted to berotated independently byseparate motors l8 and I9, respectively. The motor l9 functions to windthe wire' onto drum I! from drum Iii. The direction of movement can bereversed to unwind wire from drum I'l onto drum "I6 by energizing themotor l8. Positioned adjacent the wire l5 are a reproducing magnet 40, awiper magnet 4i, and a recording magnet 42 similar to magnets i2, H andill, respectively,

associatedIwith the telegraphone wire I.

The drum l6 has associated therewith an overwind switch 20 comprising amovable contact 2i, a back contact 22 and a front contact 23 for openingand closing certain-circuits in response to winding of all of the wirel5 onto drum i6.

Drum ll likewise has associated therewith an overwind switch 24 having amovable contact 25, a back contact 26 anda front contact 21 which areactuated when the drum l'l fills with the wire l5. a

The system disclosed in the drawing also includes a pair of amplifyingtubes 28 and 29 for amplifying the sound currents -received andtransmitted, a hybrid coil 30, balancing network 3| and pad 32 forassociating the input and out put circuits of the vacuum tubes 29 and 28with the telephone line for 2-way communication thereover, in accordancewith standard telephone in the drawing but is adapted to be connected bythe usual plug to a jack 33 having a tip conductor 35. and a ringconductor 34 which are permanently connected to the pad 32 through acondenser 36. The vacuum tubes '28 and 29, as disclosed in the drawing,are of the pentode type, each having a control grid, a screen grid and asuppressor grid in accordance with well- .known practice. Obviouslyother types of vacuum tubes can be employed. I

As is well-known in the telephone art, the hybrid coil 38 in combinationwith the balancing network 3| makes possible applicationof soundcurrents from the output tube 28 to thetelephone 5 line, and applicationof sound currents from the telephone line to the input tube 28, whilepreventing currents in the output circuit of tube 28 from being appliedto the input circuit of tube 28. v 1

l The motors 5, l8 and I8 for driving the telegraphone wires are adaptedto be energized from any suitable source of current such as the usualalternating current power supply indicated sche matically at 31. Thesystem also includes various relays and control devices, some of whichare adapted to be operated from a source of direct current and for thispurpose a battery 38- is provided. To supply high frequency current toenergize the wiper magnets II and 4|, low voltage current to energizethe cathodes of the tubes 28 and 29, high voltage current to energizethe plates and screen grids of tubes 28 and 28, and biasing potentialfor the grids of tubes 28 and 29, a power supply unit 43 is provided,this unit including a filament current supply unit 44, a plate currentand grid biasing voltage supply unit 45 and a high frequency generator46, all of which are adapted to be energized from the alternatingcurrent source 31 over input conductors 41 and 48, respectively.

The operation of the various elements described, together with thefunctions and mode of operation of the various relays and other circuitelements not yet mentioned in detail, will now be explained by followingthrough the operations of the system.

The system is adapted to be used in connection with a standard telephoneline employing what is known as divided ringing. Such lines 40 arecommonly employed on party lines. Thus the line is so arranged that bycalling either of two distinct numbers the ringing current may be sentout over either the tip or the ring side of the line, returning throughground, depending upon 45 which number is called. This is the samecircuit as far as the telephone plant is concerned as the conventionaltwo-party line except that in this instance both sides of the line areemployed by the same subscriber. One of the num- 50' hers is publishedin the directory, and all parties desiring to communicate with thesubscriber call on that number. In the drawing, if the published numberis called, ringing current is applied to the ring side 34 of the line.The other number is not published in the directory but is merely used toeffect remote control of my system from a distant telephone by thesubscriber himself in a manner to be described later.

Now let it be assumed that some one calls the subscribers publishednumber, thereby causing ringing current to be applied over the ring side34 of the line through a condenser 58 and winding of a relay 5| toground 49 thereby energizing relay 5| and causing the latter to closeits nor- 5 mally opened-contacts 52. This completes a circuit frompole-53 of battery 38 through contacts 52, a winding 54 of a solenoidrelay 55, thence over a conductor 56 and the back contacts 26 andmovable contact 25 of switch 24 associated 70 with thedrum |1 back overa conductor 51 to the other pole 58 of battery 38, thereby energizingthe winding 54 causing the latter to attract the solenoid core 58andmove a switch member 68 mechanically connected thereto to the left.

25- I he-lowerendof tbemember-88-slips*pasthebetween a-primary winding96 of a transformer left end of a latch member, 4| and is left locked insaid position following deenergizing of winding 84., Member 68 ispermanently connected to one conductor 82 extending from the source ofalternating current 31; therefore movement of the member 68 to the leftcompletes a circuit from conductor 62 over a contact and armsture 84 ofa relay 85, a back contact 88 associated with armature 64, and aconductor 81 to motor I! and thence over a conductor to the other sideof alternating current source 31, thereby energizing the motor I3 torotate the drum l1 and move the telegraphone wire II to the left pastthe magnets associated therewith.

The movement of the member 64 of the solenoid relay 55 to the left alsocompletes a circuit between member 68 and a contact 68 to the inputconductor 41 of the powercsupply unit 43, the other input conductor 48of which is permanently connected to the other side of the source 31,thereby energizing the power supply units 44, 45 and 46 to cause them tosupply filament current, plate current and grid biasing voltage to thetubes 28 and 29 and high frequency current for the erasing magnets 4|and I. The output side of the filament current supply unit 44 ispermanently connected by a pair of conductors 16 to the filaments oftubes 28 and 28 and the grid biasing voltage output terminal of unit 45is connected by a conductor 13 permanently to the control grids of tubes28 and 28 whereas the plate supply output terminal of unit 45 isconnected through a conductor 1| to the anodes and screen grids of tubes28 and 29 through a relay 12. Return connection from the plate currentand grid biasing voltage supply unit 45 to the filament circuits of thetubes is effected by a conductor 14 between units 44 and 45.

The filaments of tubes 28 and 26 .require a few seconds to heat up andduring the heating period the plate current flowing through relay 12gradually increases. This slowly energizes the relay causing it first toclose its contacts 15 to complete a direct current path", throughcontacts 15 and the normally closed contacts 16 in shunt to thecondenser 36. Thereafter as the plate current reaches full normal valuethe relay is further energized to open contact 16 and break the directcurrent path in shunt to condenser 36. The net result is that condenser36 is shortcircuited for a very short interval of time, thereby closinga direct current path of relatively low resistance between the ring andtip sides of the telephone line through the pad 32, the hybrid coil 38and the balancing network 3| to trip the usual relay in the telephoneplant and interrupt the ringing current and leave the line in conditionfor conversation. It will be understood that voice currents pass readilythrough the condenser 36 and into the hybrid coil 30 and the balancingnetwork 3|.

The movement of the solenoid relay element 68 to the left also carriedan insulating element 11 mechanically attached thereto to the left toclose a contact 18 on a contact 19 and complete a circuit from the pole53 of battery 38 over a conductor 88, contact 18, contact 19, aconductor 8| through the winding of a relay 82 back over a conductor 83through a pair of contacts 84 on a ratchet switch 85 to conductor 51,which is permanently connected to pole 58 of battery 38, therebyenergizing relay 82 and causing its armature 81 to open its back contact88 and close on its front contact 89 and complete a circuit 2,821,888and the reproducing magnet I2 associated with the telegraphone wire I.The secondary winding, 92 of transformer 8| is connected through apotentiometer 03 to the control grid circuit of vacuum tube 28. Theplate circuit of output tube. 28 is permanently connected intransmitting relation with the telephone line through the hybrid coil30..

The movement oi the bar 11 of the solenoid relay 55 to the left issumcient to move contact 19 a substantial distance to the left andcontact 19 is mechanically connected by an insulating member 94 to anauxiliary contact 05. As has previously been described, relay 82 wasenergized in response to closure of contacts 18 and 19. At the same timea relay 91 having its winding connected in shunt to winding of relay 82was energized. 'Energization of relay 91'closed a pair of contacts 98thereon. The closure of contacts 95, 95 and the contacts 98 completed anenergizing circuit for the motor 5 on the answering telegraphone. Thiscircuit may be traced over conductor 58 from one side of the A. C.source 31 through the motor 5, thence over a conductor 09, the contacts98 of relay 51, a conductor I00, the contacts 95 and 95 and the contact53 and member 60 of the solenoid relay 55 and back over conductor 62 tothe other side of source 31.

The foregoing operations all take place within a very few secondsfollowing the institution of the telephone call, at the end of whichtime the telegraphone motors 5 and I9 have accelerated to operatingspeed and the telegraphone wire I passing the reproducing coil I2cooperates therewith to transmit through the transformer SI, vacuum tube28 and the hybrid coil 30 to the telephone line conductors a messagewhich has been previously recordedon the telegraphone wire I, whichmessage will be heard by the calling party at the other end of thetelephone line. This message may be worded as follows: You are connectedwith subscriber A. There is no one here at the moment. However, therecording device to which you are listening will take down your message.Please be sure to leave your name and address. Go ahead, please." Thecalling party may now speak his message which comes in over thetelephone line and is applied over conductors I03 leading from thehybrid coil 30 through a filter I04, a transformer I05 and apotentiometer I06 to the control grid circuit of vacuum tube 29. Thesevoice currents are amplified by tube 29 and applied from the platecircuit of the tube through a transformer I01, conductors I08 and I09and closed contacts H0 and lid of the relay 91 (previously actuated asdescribed) to the recording coil 42 associated with the movingtelegraphone wire I5. The message is thereafter recorded on the wire I5.The operation of relay 91, also moves an armature II2 thereon out ofengagement with a back contact II3 into engagement with a front contactI I I thereby completing a circuit from the high frequency generator 45over conductors H5, H6, armature H2 and front contacts IN to the.erasing coil 4|, thereby automatically erasing any previous messagethat might be on the wire I5 prior to the recording thereon of a messageby the recording coil 42.

The circuit will-remain in the condition last described until thetelegraphone wire I has about completed a cycle, at which time the cam8, actuated from the motor 5 through the worm 5 and wormwheel 1, closesthe contacts 9 thereby completing a circuit for energizing a trip magnetII1 associated with the solenoid relay 55 which magnetwhen energizeddepresses the latch 5| to release the solenoid-relay 55 and permit it toas;- sume normal position. The energizing circuit for magnet II1 may betraced fromepole 53 of battery 38 over conductor 80, contacts 18 and 10of the solenoid relay, conductor 8|, magnet II1, conductor II8, contacts0 and conductor 51 back to pole 58 of battery 38.

The restoration of the solenoid relay 55 to normal position opens thepower supplycontact .58 thereby causing both telegraphone motors 5 andI9 to stop. However, the telegraphone mechanism has sufficient inertiato continue in motion after the power supply to the motors is cut of!long enough to carry the cam 8- past the I original condition except forthe fact that a certain portion of the telegraphone wire I5 which maybear a message left by a. calling party will be wound upon the drum I1.In response to succeeding calls the circuit will be actuated in exactlythe same manner already described, to record succeeding messages onsuccessive portions of the telegraphone wire I5. The number of messageswhich the machine will take down is determined by the length of thetelegraphone wire I5. If a sufiicient length of wire I5 is initiallywound upon the drum It to run, say, twenty times as long as the timerequired to complete a cycle of movement of the answering telegraphonewvire I,

then it will be obvious that the machine can record twenty successivemessages before the telegraphone wire I5 is completely filled.

If the subscriber now returns home,'he may reproduce the messagesrecorded on the wire I5 in any conventional manner. However, one of thenovel features of this invention is that the subscriber need not returnhome in order to hear the messages which are recorded on thetelegraphone wire I5. Instead he can have these messages reproduced forhim over the telephone line by a procedure next to be described.

Assume that the subscriber is at a distant telephone and calls his ownunpublished telephone number. This causes ringing current to besent thearm I30 to engage a pair of contacts I3I and close those contacts. Therelay is so adjusted that the first impulse of ringing current throughthe relay I26 lifts the armature I21 and the arm I30 sufllciently toclose the contacts I3I but does not close the armature I21 on contactI29. However, the closure of contacts I3! performs no function under thecondition described.

Continued application of. ringing current to relay I 25 lifts thearmature I21 higher and higher, the dash pot I20 being so arranged thatit will allow the armature I21 to drop back between ringing impulses afraction of the distance it was lifted by the previous ringing impulse;.After several such impulsesthe armature I21 will be carried high enoughto disengage the arm, I38

due to the counterclockwise rotation of the latter. thereby permittingrestoration of the arm I38 to normal position, and opening contacts;I3I. The gradual upward movement of the armature I21 finally closes thearmature on contact I 29 thereby applying current from battery 38 towinding I38 of solenoid relay 55, the circuit extending from pole 58 ofbattery 38 through armature I21, contact I29, winding I36, a conductorI31, back co tact 22 and movable contact 2| of switch 20 associated withtelegraphone drum I6 and thence back over conductor 51 to pole 58 ofbattery 88. The energization of winding 36 of solenoid relay 55 movesthe member 60 to the right to complete a circuit from the alternatingcurrent source 31, conductor 62, the member 68 and a contact I38 to thepower supply unit 43, energizing the latter. At the same time contact ofmember 68 on a contact I40 completes an energizing circuit over aconductor 4| through motor I8 to conductor 68 and the other side of thesource 31, thereby starting motor I8 to wind the telegraphone wire I5backwards off of the drum I1 and onto drum I6.

The actuation of the member 68 on solenoid relay 55 to the right (inwhich position it is retained by the latch 6|) also causes a detent I4Ion the right end of bar 11 to engage and rotate a ratchet wheel I42carrying a cam I43 which actuates the contacts 84 thereon. The ratchetwheel I42 has six teeth and is attached to a cam I43 having three pointsor lobes which actuate the contacts 84 so that a movement of the ratchetwheel I42 through a sixth of a revolution opens the contacts 84 if theywere previously closed and closes the contacts 84 if they werepreviously opened. These contacts 84 are normally closed and remain soas long as calls come in over the ring side of the line only to actuatethe solenoid relay 55 from normal position into left position and backto normal position because with the ratchet wheel I42 in the positionshown in the drawing, the movement of the pawl I on bar 11 to the leftis not sufiicient to engage the next tooth.

However, when the subscriber now calls in over the tip side of the lineto reverse the direction of the telegraphone wire I5 by energizing motorI8 in the manner described, the pawl I M moves far enough to the rightto engage a tooth on the ratchet wheel I42 and shift the latter farenough to open contacts 84. This opens the energizing circuits forrelays 82 and 91 so that those relays cannot operate despite the closureof contacts 18 and I31 on the solenoid relay 55. Since the relay 91 isnot operated, the front contact -I I4 of that relay is opened and theerasing magnet 4| associated with telegraphone wire I 5 is notenergized. Therefore the messages on the wire are not erased as the wireis rewound on the drum I 6. When all the wire is rewound onto drum I6the switch 28 is actuated to open contact 2| of contact 22 and close iton contact 23, thereby completing a circuit from battery 38 overconductor 51, contacts 2I and 23 of switch 28, through conductor H8 andlatch magnet II1 to release the latch 6I, thereby restoring the relay 55to normal position and stopping the motor I8.

The subscriber has now completed one operation, namely, the rewinding ofthe record wire I5 onto drum I6. He thereupon hangs up and then callshis published number, thereby applying ringing current to the ring side34 of the line, energizing relay 5I to actuate the solenoid relay 55into left position, thereby starting the motor I9 accuses over thecircuit previously traced to wind the telegraphone wire Ilfrom the drumI6 onto drum I1. However, since the contacts 84 on the ratchet switch 85are still open, relays 82 and 81 do not operate and since relay 81 doesnot operate, the energizing circuit for the motor 5 is not completed andthe telegraphone wire I remains stationary. Furthermoresince the relay82 is not energized, the reproducing magnet 40, associated withtelegraphone wire I5, is connected through the back contact 88 and thearmature 81 of relay 82 to the primary winding of transformer III whichfeeds into the output tube 28 connected with the line. Therefore as thetelegraphone wire I5 runs past the reproducing magnet 48 the messagesrecorded thereon are relayed over the telephone line to the listeningsubscriber.

When the end of the series of messages is reached, the subscriber hangsup and again calls his unpublished number, thereby ringing back on thetip side 35 of the line to energize the magnet I28 in the mannerpreviously described to again energize the motor I8 and rewind thetelegraphone wire I5 back onto the drum I6. The movement of the ratchetpawl I4I to the right again actuates the ratchet wheel I42 and cam I43to again close contacts 84, thereby energizing relays 82 and 81, and theclosure of armature II2 on front contact II4 of relay 91 applies highfrequency current to the erasing magnet 4I so that all the messages onthe wire I5 are erased as the wire is rewound on drum I6. When the wireis all rewound onto drum I6, switch 28 is actuated to close contacts 2|and 23 thereon to energize the latch magnet I I1 and restore thesolenoid relay 55 to; normal position.

This carries the system through a complete cycle of operations andleaves it ready to take down incoming messages in the manner previouslydescribed. v

The system, as'described so far, provides for the answering of telephonecalls and the recording of messages left by calling parties. It alsoprovides means whereby the subscriber can call his own station from adistant point, have the recorded messages repeated to him, and thenerase all the recorded messages, leaving the apparatus in condition toreceive a new set of messages.

In accordance with my invention, I further provide for the' changing ofthe message on the telegraphone wire I by the subscriber from a distantpoint. Let it be assumed that the usual message stating that there is noone present to answer the telephone and requesting that the callingparties dictate their messages, is recorded on the telegraphone wire I.Assume then that the subscriber is suddenly required to leave the cityand will be unable to take care of any business which the callingparties may desire to transact with ,him until his return. Assumefurther that the'subscriber is unable to return to his home or oflicewhere the recording apparatus is located in order to record thisinformation on the telegraphone wire I. He can, however, change themessage in my system from a remote point by the following procedure:

He uses the nearest available telephone and listens to the messages onthe telegraphone wire I5 in the manner previously described by firstcalling his unpublished number to rewind wire I5 onto drum I8, and thencalling his published number to wind wire I5 onto drum I 8 whilereproducing the messages thereon. When the end of the series of messagesis reached, he hangs up and again calls his unpublished number, therebyagain applying ringing current to the tip side of his line to energizerelay I26 long enough to close contacts I3I, but he hangs up hisreceiver to stop the ringing current before the relay I28 has time toclose its armature I21 on contact I29. Relay I28 therefore releasesafter momentarily closing contacts I3I.

Now, as can be seen from the drawing, the contacts I32 are open when thesolenoid relay 55 is actuated into left position, by virtue of the factthat the movable contact of the'pair of contacts I32 is connected to theinsulating bar 94. By virtue of the fact that contacts I32 were open atthe time contacts I3I were closed (in response to the short applicationof ringing current over the tipside of the line) current, instead ofbeing supplied directly from pole 58 of battery 38, over conductor 51and contacts I32 to contacts "I and thence through magnet II! to theother pole of the battery,- was supplied from conductor 51 through thewinding of relay B5 to contacts I3I thereby operating relay 65 as wellas magnet in. When operated, relay 65 is locked up by a latch I45. Theoperation of relay 65 broke contact of armature 64 with back contact 66(stopping motor I9) and closed the armature on a front contact I41. Theenergization of magnet ii! of course released solenoid relay 55.

The subscriber next calls his publishednum her, thereby applying ringingcurrent to the ring side 34 of the line, actuating the solenoid relay 55to the left in the manner previously described, and applying powerfrom-the A. CL source 31 over conductor 62 through the solenoid relaymember 50, contact 53, armature 84 and front contact Id? of relay $5,and conductor I48 to motor 5, and thence back over conductor 68 to theother side of source 31, thereby setting the telegraphone wire I inmotion. However the through the back contact I50 and armature H of relay9! so that any message repeated over the telephone line by thesubscriber from a distant point will be transmitted through tube 29 andtransformer i ii! to the recording magnet III. At the same time theerasing coil II is connected to the sourceof high frequency current 46through the back contact I I 3 and armature N2 of relay it? so that anyprior message on the wire I will be erased by the magnet II prior to therecording thereon of a new message by the recording magnet It.

.The subscriber now dictates the information he wishes recorded on theanswering telegraphone wire I in place of the -message previouslyrecorded.

When the wire I has completed its cycle of movement and-the contacts 9are closed by the cam 8 to actuate the latch magnet IIIand stop themechanism in the manner previously described, the subscriber hangs upand then calls.

his unpublished number again,- thereby applying ringing current to thetip side of the line long enough to energize motor I8 and rewind thetelegraphone wire I onto the drum IS in the manner previously described.

The movement of the bar 'I! of the solenoid relay 55 to the right inresponse to ringing current received over the tip side of the line.closes contact "1 on a contact I38, applying current from pole 58 ofbattery 38 over conductor-.80, j contacts I8, I31 and Ill oi. solenoidrelay 55 5- over a conductor iflythrough a magnet I48 and backto theother pole 58 of battery, thereby, energizing the magnet I, which pullsthe latch I45 and releases the armature 64 of relay 6!.

Motor I8 continues to'run until contacts 23 and 2| of the overwindswitch 29 are closed to trip the magnet II'i, releasing the solenoidrelay 55 and restoring the system to normal condition ready to assumenormal operation with'the new answering record on the telegraphone wireI.

The contacts and 26 of the winding switch 24 associated with drum II-open in response to filling of the drum 21' with the wire I5 to open thecircuit to winding 54 of the solenoid relay 5! and prevent anypossibility of starting the motor it when all of the wire I5 is wound ondrum II. The contacts 23 and 2i of switch 20 function in a similarmanner to prevent operation of the motor it when all the wire is wound'cndrumIB.

Although my invention has been explained by describing in detail aspecific circuit for practicing the invention, it is to be understoodthat many changes and refinements can be made in the particular circuitdetails shown without de- 80 parting from the invention, and the latteris to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. In an automatic telephone answering and 85 message recording system,means for delivering a predetermined message over-a telephone line to acalling party, means for recording a mes-= sage received over thetelephone line from a calling party, and means for connecting said 4i!message deliveringmeans in transmitting relation to said telephone lineand simultaneously connecting said message recording means in receivingrelation with said telephone line, including means for preventing localintercommunication between said message transmitting and messagereceiving means.

2. In an automatic telephone answering and message recording system foruse in combination with a telephone line equipped with automatic ringingapparatus which is adapted to be tripped in response to closure of adirect current path across said line: message recording apparatus, avacuum tube amplifier, power supply means for energizing said amplifier,means in-' cluding said amplifier for operatively connecting saidrecording apparatus to said line, means responsive to ringing current onsaid telephone line for energizing said power supply means, and meansresponsive to current flow from said power so supply means through saidamplifier for closing a direct current path across said line when saidamplifier is partly energized and for opening said direct current pathwhen said amplifier is deenergized and is fully energized, whereby thering ing apparatus on the telephone line is tripped and thereafter thetelephone line restored to normal condition in response to ringingcurrent on the line.

3. In an automatic telephone answering and message recording system, adevice for deliveringa word message, a message recording device, andmeans for energizing said message deliveringv and message recordingdevices and operatively connecting them to the telephone line inresponse 15 to ringing current on said line, said last mentioned meanscomprising an A. C. relay operable in response to ringing currents onsaid line and a self-locking relay adapted to operate and lock up inresponse to operation of said A. C. relay, with means for releasing saidself-locking relay after a predetermined lapse of time.

4. In a call answering and message recording system for use inconnection with a metallic telephone line equipped for divided ringing,means for recording and reproducing a message, and means selectivelyresponsive to ringing current applied successively to the two sides ofsaid line in predetermined diii'erent sequences for selectivelyconditioning said recording and reproducing means either to record amessage transmitted over said line or to transmit a recorded messageover said line.

5. A system as described in claim 4 with means for signaling to acalling party when said recording and reproducing means is conditionedto record a message transmitted over said line.

6. In a telephone answering and message recording system for use inconnection with a metallic telephone line equipped for divided ringing,means for recording a message, means for reproducing said message, meansresponsive to ringing current on one side of said line for conmeetingsaid recording means to said line whereby it records a messagetransmitted over said line, and means responsive to ringing currentapplied successively to said one side, then said other side and again tosaid one side, for connecting said reproducing means to said line fortransmitting said recorded message over said line.

'7. In a telephone answering and message recording system for use inconnection with a metallic telephone line equipped for divided ringing,a recording and reproducing device having driv- 40 ing means, rewindmeans, recording means, and

reproducing means; means responsive to ringing current on one side ofsaid line for energizing said driving means, and means for stopping saiddriving means after a time interval; means re- 45 sponsive toapplication of ringing current to said other side of said line forenergizing said rewinding means to rewind said device, and means forstopping said rewind means; means responsive to initial application ofringing current to said one 5 side oi said line and thereafterresponsive to the sequential application of said ringing current to saidother side and then to said one side an even number of times, foroperatively connecting said recording means to said line to receive andrecord 53 a message on said device; and means responsive to initialapplication of ringing current to said one side of said line followed bysequential application of ringing current to said other side and then tosaid one side an odd number of times for operatively connecting saidreproducing means to said line to deliver a message recorded on saiddevice to said line; whereby said device is conditioned for recordingfrom the line in response to ringing current on one side 01 said line,is rewound 5 in response to subsequent application of ringing 70 side ofthe line.

current to the said other side of the line, and is conditioned fortransmitting the message recorded thereon to the line in response tosubsequent application of ringing current to said one 8. A system asdescribed in claim 7 in which said means responsive to' application ofringing current to said other side of said line for energizing saidrewind means to rewind said device includes means for deenergizing saiddriving means prior to enemization of said rewind means.

9. A system as described in claim 7 in which said device is providedwith normally deenergized message erasing means operatively associatedwith the recording and reproducing device ahead of said recording meansand back of said reproducing means and in which said meansi'oroperatively connecting said recording means to said line includes meansfor simultaneously energizing said erasing-means whereby thetelegraphone wire is erased prior to recordation thereon.

10. A system as described in claim! in which said device is providedwith normally deenergized erasing means and means for energizing saiderasing means in response to initial application of ringing current tosaid one side of said line followed by sequential application oi ringingcurrent to said other side, to said one side, and again to said otherside, whereby a message on said devided ringing; a recording andreproducing device having driving means, recording means, reproducingmeans, and erasing means associated therewith; means for energizing saiddriving means and operatively connecting said reproducing means to saidline in response to application of ringing current to one side of saidline, means for energizing said driving means and said erasing means andoperatively connecting said recording means to said line in response tosuecessive application oi ringing current to the two sides of said linein a predetermined sequence, and means for restoring said system tonormal condition in response to application of ringing current to thetwo sides of said line in still another predetermined sequence.

12. In a telephone answering system for use a with a metallic telephoneline equipped for divided ringing; a recording and reproducing devicehaving driving means, recording means, reproducing means, and erasingmeans positioned ahead of said recording means and back of saidreproducing means; means responsive to successive application of ringingcurrent to one side of said line for energizing said driving means andoperatively connecting said reproducing means to I said line followingeach application; means re-v side for a short interval, then to said oneside and then again to said other side for a long interval for restoringsaid system to initial condition; whereby said device delivers a messagerecorded thereon to said line in response to ringing cur-' rent on oneside of said line, whereby said device may be remotely controlled oversaid line to erase its original message and record a new messagetransmitted over said line in response to the successive application ofringing current to the 'two sides of said line in a predeterminedsequence, and whereby said device may thereafter be restored tocondition for delivering the newly recorded message to said line inresponse to ringing current on said one side of said line, by theapplication or ringing current to the said other side of said line for aprolonged interval after said new message has been recorded.

13 .In a call answering and message recording system for use inconnection with a metallic telephone line equipped for divided ringing;a call answering device having driving means, recording means,reproducing means and erasing means associated therewith; a messageregistering device having driving means, rewind, means, recording means,reproducing means and erasing means associated therewith; meansselectively responsive to ringing current applied to the two sides ofsaid line in predetermined difierent sequences for selectively (1)energizing said driving means on said call answering device and saidmessage registering device, conditioning said re producing means on saidcall answering device to reproduce a message thereon to said line andconditioning said recording means on said message registering device torecord a message transmitted over said line, .(2) energizing said rewindmeans associated with said message registering device to rewind thelatter, (3) energizing said driving means associatedwith said messageregistering device and conditioning the reproducing means associatedtherewith to transmit a message recorded thereon to said line, (4)energizing said driving means on said call answering device andconditioning the erasing means and recording means associated therewithto erase an existent message thereon and record a: new messagetransmitted over said line, or (5) energizing said rewind means on saidmessage recording device and conditioning the erasingmeans' associatedtherewith to erase a message thereon.

14. In a telephone answering and message recording system for use on atelephone line.

equipped for divided ringing; a call answering device; a messagerecording device having driving means, recording means, reproducingmeans and erasing means, and rewind means; relay means having a neutral,a first and a second position of operation; means for operating saidrelay a from its neutral into its first position in response to ringingcurrent on one side of said line and F from neutral into its secondposition in response to ringing current on the other side of the line;

a control element operable between two positions and means for operatingsaid element into one,

position in response to alternate movements of said relay from its firstposition into its second position and for operating said element intoitsother position in response to intervening movements of said relay fromitsfirst position into its second position; circuit means for energizingsaid driving means in response .to operation of said relay into itsfirst position;. circuit means for energizing said answering device andoperatively connecting said recording means to said line in response tooperation of said relay into its first position and operation of saidcontrol element into its one position; and means for tripgize saiddriving means and said answering device; whereby with said relay inneutral position and said control element in its one'position saidanswering device is energized to signal a calling party over said lineand said message recording "telegraphone is conditioned to receive andrecord a message from the calling party over said line in response tothe application of ringing current to said one side of said line.

15. A system as described in claim 14 in which said tripping meanscomprises a time switch for deenergizing said driving means and saidanswering device after they have run for a predetermined time.

16. A system as described in claim 14 in which ping said relay intoneutral position to deenersaid answering device comprises a telegraphonehaving an endless record wire and in which said tripping means isactuated by. said answering telegraphone when itcompletes a cycle ofoperation.

ing means in response to operation of said relay when said-controlelement is in its one position.

18. A system as described in claim 14 with means for energizing saidrewind means in response to'operation of said relay into its secondposition. Y

19. A system as described in claim 14 with means for energizing saiderasing means in response to operation of said relay when said controlelement is in its one position and in which said means for tripping saidrelay is actuated in response to complete rewinding of said recordingdevice.

20. A system as described in claim 14 with means for operativelyconnecting said reproducing means to said line when said control meansmeans for energizing said-recording. device erasis in its other positionand said relay is, operated. I

relay having slow-make contacts for completing the energizing circuit.to operate said first mentioned relay into its second position only inresponse to prolonged application oivringing current to said other sideof the line, and having fast-make contacts adapted to energize saidtripping means in response to a short application of ing in response toprolonged application of ringing current prior to closure of saidslow-make contacts.

22. A system as described in claim 14 in which said means'for operatingsaid first mentioned relay into its second position is a slow operatingrelay having slow-make contacts for completing the energizing circuit tooperate said first mentioned relay into itssecond position only inresponse to prolonged application of ringing current to said other sideof the line, and having fast-make contacts adapted to energize saidtripping'means in response to a short application of ringing current,said fast-make contacts reopening in response to prolonged applicationof ringing current prior to closure of said slow-make contacts; in whichsaid answering device comprises an endless recording medium havingdriving means, reproducing means, recording means, and erasing means; inwhich said circuit means for energizing said'answering device inresponse to operation of said first mentioned relay into its firstposition and operation of said control element into its one position,including means for energizing said answering device driving means andoperatively connecting the answering device for opening said energizingcircuit for said recording device, driving means and completing theenergizing circuit for said answering device driving means independentof said control eleassociated with said answering device to said line inresponse to movement of said control elementv into its said otherposition,.and means for restoras ringing current, said fast-makecontacts reopening said transfer switch to normal position in responseto movement of said first mentioned relay into its second position.

23. In a telephone answering and message recording system, a messagestoring device having recording means and reproducing means, and meansselectively responsive to telephone ringing current impulses received inpredetermined sequences over a plurality oi. ringing channels forselectively conditioning said recording means and reproducing meanseither to record a received telephone message or to reproduce a messagepreviously recorded.

24. In a call answering and message recording system for use inconnection with a telephone line, a message transmitting device havingrecording means and reproducing means, a message receiving device havingrecording means and reproducing means, means selectively responsive toringing current impulses transmitted over said telephone line inpredetermined different sequences for selectively conditioning saidmessage receiving device either to record a message received over saidline or to transmit a recorded message over said line, and meansselectively responsive to ringing current impulses applied successivelyover said line in predetermined different sequences for selectivelyconditioning said message transmitting device, either to record amessage received over said line or to transmit a recorded message oversaid line.

PAUL HENRY ROWE.

